PU Stone Panels: The Affordable Wall Makeover Solution

Introduction

Decorating household walls is rarely a simple task. It can be challenging to decide on what materials, colours, patterns, and features to use, and the wrong decision can be a costly waste of your time!

In this article, we take a look at the merits of PU stone wall panels—otherwise known as polyurethane faux stone panels—both for the indoor and outdoor walls of your home.

A few wall decoration options are as unique as our range of extraordinarily authentic imitation-stone polyurethane panels.

Thanks to their innovative design and the budget-friendly PU panel price point, Tile Merchant’s stone panel series makes redecorating and renovating your home’s walls both easy and impactful. PU sheets deliver the desirable look and feel of real stone interiors and exteriors without the hassle and expense of using real stone.

Read on to learn all you need to know about polyurethane wall panels in order to make your own informed decision and turn your stone feature wall dreams into reality.

What Are PU Stone Panels Made From?

The PU in PU stone wall panels stands for "polyurethane". Polyurethane is a type of plastic material capable of adopting a variety of useful characteristics, depending on its use.

For example, polyurethane can be flexible or rigid, durable or fragile, thin or thick, soft or hard, depending on what is demanded of it.

In the case of polyurethane faux stone panels, the PU plastic polymer used is ultra high-density, to give it strength and rigidity as well as the ability to take on the texture of organic stone.

The PU foamboard is designed to take on the natural texture of stone so that it feels like the real deal.

Next, each panel is hand-stained until they precisely replicate the unique colouration, shading and tones of different stone and rock.

What’s The Difference Between PU Stone Panels And Real Stone?

The differences between PU stone panels and real stone might sound like they should be obvious, but to the casual observer it is hard to tell the two apart.

Polyurethane is exceptional at replicating other materials to a photorealistic degree, which means just from seeing and touching the PU sheet you probably would not be able to tell that it’s not real stone.

The main differences, therefore, are hidden from the naked eye. The main differences are that PU panelling is much, much lighter than real stone, and as such much easier to install at home.

It’s also much cheaper than real stone, and easier to take care of, since real stone would need sealing and treatment once every year or so—whereas PU panels need no such maintenance.

If you’re choosing between installing PU stone or real stone at home, the decision comes down to this: Do you have the cash and are you willing to put in the work? If it’s a ‘yes’ to both, then you could certainly consider real stone as an option. But you should then also ask yourself, is the natural stuff really worth the hassle?

Two Different Polyurethane Panel Styles: Rock Surface And Ribbed

Here at Tile Merchant, we stock a wide range of PU stone panels for you to choose from, including faux rock walls chalk-white as the Cliffs of Dover, to ribbed faux stone panelling in a sandy North African beige.

Besides colour and finish, however, the core difference in our range is that we have two different types of stone panels: ‘rock surface’ and ‘ribbed.’

Our rock surface PU stone panelling mimics real natural stone in big block chunks as if each panel had been individually cut and quarried straight out of the ground.

On the other hand, our ribbed PU rock panels are designed with a more manmade style. Ribbed panels are designed with long, stretching vertical or horizontal lines (depending how you install them) arranged in ridges—a bit like how wind creates sand dunes in the desert.

We purposefully stock these two different versions of the same desirable PU stone panel so that our customers have even more choice when it comes to home decoration—you can either go with the supernatural quarried wall look or opt for a more adventurous remodel with the long lines of the ribbed series.

7 Benefits Of Installing PU Stone Wall Panels At Home

Unconvinced? Take a look at these 7 tangible benefits to redecorating your inside or outside walls with PU stone panels.

Stone Panels Are Lightweight And Easy To Install

One of the most notable things about our stone panels is how lightweight and easy to work with they are.

Straight out of the box you get a sense for just how possible it’s going to be for a DIY amateur to work on, even solo!

Compared to real rock, our PU panelling is easy to handle thanks to its minimal weight and is easy to install, as only needs cut to size and glued to the existing surface! (For step-by-step installation instructions, keep reading.)

DO YOU LIVE IN IRELAND? Order free samples of PU Wall Panels today!

A PU Panel Wall Is Built To Last

Plastic stone panels are also built to last. Unlike real rock which requires regular treatment to stop it growing mould, or cracking from changes in humidity, PU is largely water-resistant, stain-resistant, bug-resistant and—if taken care of properly—has an ultra long shelf life.

The only thing PU panelling can’t be used for is as a shower surround, since there’s no grouting between the panels meaning in a shower situation water would reach the wall behind.

PU Stone Wall Panels Are Relatively Affordable

The PU panel price per m² is comparable to a wide variety of other home renovation materials, like laminate flooring, bathroom tiles and acoustic wall panelling. Compared to real stone, PU panelling is even more affordable.

PU Wall Panels Provide Your Home With Extra Insulation

An added benefit of redecorating your house with stone panels is that the polyurethane foam board they’re made from helps to add an extra layer of insulation to your walls.

Extra heat means a cosier, more welcoming home and cheaper heating bills!

PRO TIP: Polyurethane faux stone panels look and feel like the real deal.

A PU Sheet Is Easy To Clean And Maintain

Given that our stone-effect wall panels are made from high-density PU plastic, they’re also really easy to clean! A simple spray with a gentle domestic cleaner and wipe with lukewarm water will rid your PU stone panels of all but the toughest spills, squirts and splashes. Keeping stone panels looking fresh out of the box is easy as 1, 2, 3!

Polyurethane Faux Stone Panels Look And Feel Like The Real Deal

As we’ve already mentioned, perhaps the most attractive characteristic of our stone wall panels is just how good they look.

Finished with artisanal craft and care, each panel uniquely replicated the exact look, feel, shading and colouration of real stone—no wonder, since the manufacturers use real rock as reference when designing the panels! No cheap and cheerful pretending here!

With PU rock wall panels, no-one will ever know the difference.

PU Stone Panels Are Resistant To Dading, Bugs, And Temperature Fluctuations

Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning again just how resilient and durable our stone panelling is. Protected by a final UV wear-layer, the fresh-out-the-box lustre of our rock wall panels will never fade, no matter how much natural sunlight they’re exposed to. Moreover, PU panelling is resistant to damage by bugs and pests, and won’t warp with outside fluctuations in weather.

Polyurethane panels are even waterproof enough to be used on the outside of your home!

The only thing we would warn against is placing PU stone panels in direct contact with radiators or other direct sources of open or extreme heat. Since the polyurethane foam is combustible (like wood or any other natural combustible material), some space must be left between the panels and direct sources of heat.

Most Common Applications for Installing PU Stone Panels at Home

Polyurethane stone-effect wall panels are suitable for both indoor and outdoor installation. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common and effective uses for PU stone panelling we’ve come across so far.

• Stone panelling in bathrooms (except for shower surrounds) to create a calming, Zen spa-like space for your morning ablutions and evening wind-downs.
• Stone panelling as backsplashes in kitchens, since the PU panels are easy to clean, stain-resistant, and can give kitchens a rustic, traditional cottage-core aesthetic.
• Stone panelling as a feature wall in bedrooms or living rooms, especially effective when paired with media such as a wall-mounted TV, game console or sound system.
• Stone panelling in a porch or conservatory, creating the allusion that these extensions to your home are made from real stone.

These are some of the more popular uses for PU stone wall panels, but truthfully the sky’s the limit when it comes to interior design and home renovation. Whatever look you can dream up incorporating faux stone, you can replicate with Tile Merchant’s PU stone panels.

How To Install PU Stone Panels DIY: [6] Simple Steps

Last but not least, let’s take a look at how to install a PU panel wall at home by yourself. To make things easier, we’d always recommend getting the help of a friend or, if you’re not too confident with DIY, seeking the advice of a trusted installer.

We’ll walk you through the [X] basic steps to installing PU panels. For a more detailed guide, we recommend watching the video we’ve linked to here.

1. Prep and Measure the Wall: Measure your wall and use an installation calculator to determine how many panels you’ll need. Clean and prep the wall by removing nails, screws, or hooks.

2. Cut Panels to Size: Lay out the panels, adjust their size if needed, and ensure they’re level with the wall using a spirit level. Trim them with a circular saw if necessary.

3. Glue the First Panel: Apply construction adhesive to the back of the first panel and press it onto the wall. Use a nail gun for extra hold if needed, but cover nail heads afterward.

4. Install Remaining Panels: Continue installing the panels, ensuring they align tightly. You can choose to line up seams or stagger them for a more natural look.

5. Make Adjustments for Outlets: If covering electrical outlets, carefully cut spaces in the panels before gluing them to the wall. Always ensure the power is off when working with electricals.

5. Let the Adhesive Dry: Once all panels are in place, leave the adhesive to set and step back to admire your new wall!

Conclusion: Kickstart Your Dream Stone-Wall Project Today

PU polyurethane stone wall panels are Ireland’s answer to real stone interiors and exteriors, providing domestic and retail customers all across the Emerald Isle with an affordable alternative which looks and feels just like natural rock!

Whatever your dream design, PU stone panels could help take it to the next level, adding a rustic, traditional charm to some rooms, whilst grounding others in a more modern, minimalist aesthetic.

From black igneous rock to chalk white, sandy beige and various tones in between, why not browse our range of polyurethane faux stone panels today. Delivery is available to any address in Ireland or Northern Ireland, 7-days-a-week.

Why Tile Merchant?

We offer extremely competitive pricing on our entire range of tiles and likewise. We stock a huge range of wall and floor tiles and our prices are competitive for retail and trade. Our stock is widely available in our tile stores in Ireland which are open 7 days a week.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to shop our tiles online, we can supply you with samples delivered for free.

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